Rack



H. D. GRAVES June 25, 1935.

RACK

Filed May 1, 1955 Patented June 25, '1935 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE 1 Claim.

The invention relates generally to racks. More particularly, the invention relates to that type of rack which is designed to support a container such as a barrel or a box in a refrigerator for cooling purposes, and comprises a rectangular platform which is carried between a pair of laterally spaced guides so that'it may be shifted substantially horizontally from a normal or operative position in the refrigerator to a position outside of the refrigerator wherein it is readily accessible either for placement of the container thereon or for removal of the container therefrom.

One object of the invention is to provide a rack of this type in which the platform is carried by the pair of laterally spaced guides in such a manner that when it is shifted out of the refrigerator it is automatically tilted downwardly so as to make more convenient and facilitate placement of the container thereon and removal of the container therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container supporting rack of thetype under consideration in which the connection between the platform and the guides whereby the platform is carried so that it may be shifted horizontally into and out of the refrigerator consists of a pair of rollers which are mounted on fixed axes at the front ends of the guides and are arranged to engage and support the side margins of the platform, and a pair of rollers which are mounted on the inner corners of the platform and fit within and coact with inclined channel bars on the guides so as to cause the platform to tilt downwardly when it is} shifted out of the refrigerator. i

A further object of the invention is to providea rack of the type and character under consideration in which the various parts are arranged and constructed so that the rack is in the form of a unit. I V

A still further object of the invention is to provide a container-supporting rack which is generally of new and improved construction, consists of but a small number of parts and may be manufactured at a low and reasonable cost.

Other objects of the invention and the various advantages and characteristics of the present rack construction will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter set forth and are more particularly defined by the claim at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawing which accompanies and forms sition for container-removing or placement purposes when it is shifted out of the refrigerator;

Figure 3 is a sectional view showing in detail the construction and arrangement of the rollers which are between the rear corners of the platform and inclined channel bars on the laterally spaced guides and serve to tilt the rack when it is shifted out of the refrigerator;

Figure 4 is a perspective of a second or modified form of rack; and

Figure 5 is a detailed view of one of the rollers for engaging and supporting the side margins of the platform of the rack of Figure 4.

The rack which is shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing and represents one form of the invention is designed primarily to support a barrel B and is arranged and constructed for disposition within a refrigerator R. It is in the form of a unit and consists of a platform 6 and a supporting member I. The refrigerator R is illustrated more or less conventionally and consists of a bottom 1', a back wall 1 and side walls r which together form a refrigerating compartment 1'. The front of this compartment is closed by means of a door 1' which is hinged to one of the side walls r so that it may be swung open to provide access to the refrigerating compartment. As shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, the bottom of the refrigerator rests directly upon the floor of the room or space in which the refrigerator R is disposed.

A The platform 6 is formed of a rectangular piece of plate metal and is supported by the structure I so that it is shtftable from a normal or operative position wherein it overlies the refrigerator bottom to a position outside of the refrigerator wherein it is accessible for placement of the barrel B thereon or for removal of the barrel therefrom. The side margins of the platform are bent upwardly and then outwardly so as to form vertically extending sides 8 and outturned flanges 9. The sidesli serve to reinforce the platform lengthwise thereof. A pair of angle bars in are welded or otherwise secured to the top face of the platform 6 and are arranged so as to hold the barrel B in place after it is rolled or placed upon the platform. These angle bars I0 extend transversely of the platform and have the ends thereof bent or deflected inwardlyas shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, so as to conform to the contour of the barrel bottom and hold the barrel in an upright position on the platform.

The supporting structure I is,adapted to rest directly on the bottom 1' of the refrigerator and like the platform 6 is formed of a rectangular piece of plate metal. It consists of a base II, the side margins of which are bent upwardly to form vertically extending sides or guide-members l2. The upper portions of these sides or guidemembers I2 are bent outwardly anti then upwardly to form laterally extending pieces I3 and side pieces I4. The side pieces I4 extend vertically as shown in Figure 3, and are spaced outwardly from the sides proper by way of the laterally extending pieces I3. The supporting structure I is preferably disposed in the refrigerator so that the front edge of the base II extends along the front edge of the refrigerator bottom 1'.

The platform 6 is supported by means of a pair of rollers I5 and a pair of rollers I6 so that it is shiftable from a. position wherein it overlies the supporting structure to a position wherein it is located partly outside of the refrigerator compartment T The rollers I5 underlie and engage the outturned flanges 9 at the side margins of the platform 6and are mounted on pivot pins I! which are fixed to and extend inwardly from the front ends of the sides I2. The rollers I6 are carried by the inner or rear corners of the platform and are mounted on pivot pins I6 which are carried by a pair of angle brackets I9. The latter are welded or otherwise secured to the rear or inner ends of the outturned flanges 9 and embody vertically extending legs 26 through which the pivot pins I8 extend horizontally. The rollers iii are mounted on the outer ends of the pivot pins and coact with a pair of channel bars 2I to support the inner end of the platform 6. The channel bars M are welded or otherwise secured to the inner faces of the vertically extending side pieces I4 and are inclined or angled in such a manner that when the platform 6 is shifted outwardly, they coact with the rollers I6 to tilt the platform downwardly into a position wherein the front end of the platform rests on the floor on which the refrigerator is positioned. When the platform is shifted inwardly into its normal position within the refrigerator comparte ment T3, the rollers I6 coact with the channel bars so as to swing the platform into a horizontal position as shown by dotted lines in Figure 2. The laterally extending pieces I3 of the sides I2 are downwardly inclined towards the rear end of the supporting structure and the channel bars 2I are tilted or angled so that the rear, ends thereof rest on the rear ends of the pieces I3 and are substantially aligned with the top face'of the base II". The rollers I6 are arranged so that they flt in the channels in the bars 2!. When the refrigerator door 1' is open, the platform 6 may be shifted outwardly so that the barrel B may be placed thereon or removed from it. During outward shift of the platform, the outturned flanges 9 at the side margins of the platform 6 ride on the rollers I5 and the rollers I6 coact .with the, channel bars 2I so as to tilt the platform downwardly. When the platform is shifted outwardly to its furthest extent, the front end of the platform rests on the floor and the barrel B may be rolled onto or oil the platform. After the barrel B is rolled onto the platform, angle bars I0 serve to hold it in place. When it is desired to shift the platform into During rearward shift of the platform, the outturned flanges 6 ride on the rollers I5 and the rollers I6 coact with the chan-- nel bars 2| so as to tilt the platform back into its normal or horizontal position. The channel bars 2| together with the rollers I5 and I6 constitute means whereby the platform is supported so that it is shiftable into and out of the ice box and is automatically tilted downwardly into a charging or discharging position when it is shifted out of the refrigerating compartment. By virtue of the fact that the sides I2 are formed integrally with the base I of the supporting structure, the rack isin the form of a unit and may be readily installed within the refrigerator. Blocks 2| are secured within the front ends of the channel bars 2| and serve as stops whereby backward or frontward movement of the platform is limited. These blocks are preferably positioned so that the platform may be shifted a sufficient distance forwardly to permit its front end to rest directly on the floor as shown in Figures 1 and 2. In order to prevent rearward movement of the platform during placement of the barrel B thereon, a strip 6 of rubber or like material is attached to the front end of the platform. This strip is located in a. channel 6' which is formed by bending upwardly and then outwardly the front end of the platform. Rivets or screws 5 are carried by the outwardly bent part of the platform and extend downwardly through the rubber strip (i so as to hold the latter in place. adapted to rest on the floor when the platform is shifted out of the refrigerator and because it is made of rubber and grips the floor frictionally, it operates to hold the platform in place when the barrel is placed on or removed from the platform.

The rack which is shown in Figures 4 and 5 represents a second or modified form of the invention and is similar in mode of operation and general construction to therack of Figures 1, 2 and 3. It consists of a platform 22 and a supporting structure 23 anddiflfers'from the previously described rack, that is, the rack of Figures 1, 2 and 3, in that the platform 22 is of box design and the supporting structure instead of being formed of plate metal, is fabricated from angle bars. -The box-like platform 22 is designed to hold cartons or packages and embodies a pair of angle bars 26 at the sides thereof. These angle bars extend horizontally and form nmners for a pair of rollers 25 at the front end of the supporting structure. The supporting structure 23 consists of a pair of laterally spaced angle bars 26 and four vertically extending angle bars 21. The angle bars 21 are in the nature of corner posts and extend upwardly from the ends of the angle bars 26. The bars 26 are cross connected by means of horizontally extending angle bars 28 which are connected to and extend between the vertically extending angle bars 21. 'I'herollers 25 are mounted on horizontally extending pivot pins 29 which are carried by, and project inwardly from,-a pair of angle brackets 30. The

latter, as shown in Figure 5, are secured to the lower ends of the two vertically extending angle bars 21 at the front of the supporting structure the refriger- .ator, force is applied to the platform so as to 'shift it rearwardly towards the back wall r of the refrigerator.

The strip is 23. The rear end of the box-like platform 22 is supported by means of a pair of rollers 3|. These rollers coact with angularly disposed or inclined channel bars 32 and are mounted on horizontally extending pivot pins which extend outwardly from and are connected to the rear ends of the horizontally extending angle bars 24 at the sides of the platform 22. The channel bars 32 extend forwardly and upwardly from the lower ends of the two vertically extending angle bars 21 at the rear end of the supporting structure, and have the front ends thereof connected to a pair of vertically extending angle bars 33. The latter are connected to and extend upwardly from the bars 25. The box-like platform 22 is supported by the rollers 25 and 3| so that it may be shifted into and out of its operative'position and is automatically tilted downwardly by the action of the rollers 3| and the channel bars 32 when it is shifted away from the supporting structure 23. Frontward movement of the platform is limited by a pair of blocks (not shown) in the front ends of the channel bars 32. A rubber strip 34 is attached to the under face of the front end of the platform 22. This strip functions similarly to the strip 6 of the rack of Figures 1, 2 and 3 in that it engages the floor and holds the platform against unintentional inward movement when it is in its extended position. If desired, one or more additional racks may be mounted on the vertically extending angle bars 21 so as to form a series of superposed racks.

The rack construction herein described is of unitary design and because it consists of but a small number of parts may be manufactured at a low and reasonable cost.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claim, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

In a rack of the character described, the combination of a rectangular supporting structure provided with a pair of laterally spaced rollers at the front end thereof, a rectangular platform v provided with container-retaining means on the top face thereof and having out-turned flanges along its side margins resting upon the rollers and coacting therewith to support the platform so that it is shiftable bodily back and forth between a normal position over the structure and a position in front of the structure wherein it is accessible for lifting the container on or off it, and means for supporting the rear end of the platform and automatically tilting the platform downwardly when it is shifted into position in front of the structure so as to facilitate lifting the container on or off the platform, comprising a pair of laterally spaced, oppositely facing, inclined channel. bars on the supporting structure, and a pair of rollers mounted on t e rear corners of the platform and fitting in and coacting with the channel bars, said bars being so arranged and angled on the supporting structure that the rollers on the rear corners of the platform are located in the rear ends thereof when the platform is in its normal position and the latform is supported with the rear end thereof slightly lower than its front end.

HARRY D. GRAVES. 

